Effects of gender on High Schools Students' Perceptions ofEnvironmental and Social Supports for Participation in Physical Activities

Dominant climate in scholastic environments and social supports from friends and family are taken into account as important determinants of physical activity level. In this direction, the purpose of present study was allocated to determine gender differences in perceptions of environmental and social supports for participation in physical activities in high school age students. To this aim, in an ex post facto study, 300 students (162 girls and 138 boys aged 16.32±0.98 and 15.97±1.02 years, respectively) from three region of Babol city's educating and training (6 girl's high school and 6 boy's high school) using random multiple stage cluster sampling method were selected and completed individual characteristics questionnaire, Perceived School Climate for Physical Activity Scale (Birnbaum et al., 2005), and Social Support for Physical Activity Scale (Grieser & etal, 2008). Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and follow up one-way ANOVA at the p<0.05. Results showed that gender has not significant effect on students' perceptions of teachers' environmental support. But about peers support, boy students had higher perceptions of their peers' environmental support. Findings of the study showed that there is no significant difference between girl and boy students' perceptions of family social support (p>0.05). About social support provided from friends, results offered more benefits for boy students (p<0.05). This study discusses gender differences in the environmental and social supports to improve students' participation in physical activities.

Gender, Environmental Support, Social Support, Physical activity